Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an endless belt.
Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, as taught in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2012-128228, an image forming apparatus, having a transfer roller provided to contact an inner side surface of an endless belt and transferring a toner image from an intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium when the recording medium which is borne on the endless belt is passing through the transfer roller, is widely used.
Further, as taught in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-273815, an image forming apparatus that uses a transfer roller with an elastic layer formed of rubber material to transfer a toner image from a photosensitive drum to an intermediate transfer belt or from an intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium, is widely used.
If a transfer roller with an elastic layer formed of rubber material is adopted in an image forming apparatus having a transfer roller in contact with the inner side surface of the endless belt, various fluid substances may bleed out from the elastic layer of the transfer roller and attach to the endless belt. If the apparatus is left unused in that state for a long period of time after performing image forming in a high-temperature environment, the bleed fluid substance may harden and become adhesive, and may increase the starting torque of the endless belt.